TeaPot project

This is my project for my Maya class that I finally finished to turn in today. It's a flowering teaset. We had three weeks to do everything from modeling all of the objects, coloring, texturing, and lighting them all as well. I had a lot of fun and enjoyed learning a lot of new things to make it look better. I did alot of the coloring in photoshop based on what's called uv maps of each object where the 3D object is layed out flat in the computer in different pieces and you have to match pieces together like a puzzle before you paint them in photoshop so you know where the different eges connect back to. I really liked how my cloth texture came out for the place mat and if you look close at the beige areas of the tea set, especially the teapot, you can see the ceramic spotted texture I painted as well. If your wondering what the middle small bowl of pink and yellow is, it's sugar granuals colored pink and yellow. I referenced the sugar from a different teaset, but modeled it a bit differently with my imagination to make it fit better. Our final project is a sort of bug either robotic, or whatever, as long as it has an exoskeleton, and is shown in it's environment. I'm really excited for this assignment and have some great ideas about what I'm doing all ready.
The other day was great because I got complimented on my teaset by a student already in the major. He asked if I was in the program because it looked really good to him, and I said I was taking the class for non-majors and was applying in the Spring. Brent Adams, a professor who teaches the same class that I'm taking but for those in the major, overheard our conversation and looked at mine and said how good it looked and told me a few areas that I could improve on. I appreciated his insights about being too reflective, and how the inustry hates how extra shiny things are because of how easy the computer can make it; and that is what helped me acheive this composition. I made things a lot less shiny than they first were, and did a lot of work with the lighting and how it would cast shadows on the different objects.
Shortly later he complimented me again on how it was looking and used my lighting as an example for the guy in his class sitting next to me and said how my lighting was more natural and that he should make his look like that. He also said it would be great to have these sort of things in my portfolio because it shows me taking initiative to lean more, and that it would definitely help my portfolio look good. He said good work Mike, so to my surprise he even knew my name. I've never taken a class from him, but I guess with my little involvment on the film and digital paintings, and seeing me at different meetings the past year, he actually knows who I am. I am starting to feel like I actually might have a chance of getting into the program next year over the 90 who usually apply.